BRAVE-HEARTHeart-Sparing Effect of Breast Radiotherapy with Active Breathing Coordinator

The BRAVE-HEART study focuses on breast cancer patients who are undergoing radiotherapy. This study takes place at Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo in Italy. Its main goal is to understand how a special breathing technique, called Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) assisted by the Active Breathing Coordinator (ABC), can help protect the heart during radiation treatment. This is particularly important for patients with stage I-III breast cancer who are typically receiving radiation therapy after surgery. The study aims to show that this special breathing technique can reduce the amount of radiation that reaches the heart and potentially improve the safety of breast cancer treatment. During the study, patients receive radiotherapy using either three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) or intensity-modulated/volumetric modulated arc therapy (IMRT/VMAT) techniques. These treatments can be given in various durations and intensities, with or without a simultaneous boost to the tumor bed. The study compares the radiation dose to the heart during normal breathing and during the special breathing technique (DIBH assisted by ABC). The primary goal is to measure the reduction in radiation dose to the heart and its substructures, especially the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The study also evaluates the consistency of the treatment, the feasibility of using ABC-DIBH in daily practice, and collects data on any immediate and long-term side effects.